In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm talks with Jim Pulcrano, an entrepreneur turned venture capital educator and professor at IMD Business School. Jim shares how his early startup experience in Switzerland pulled him into the orbit of venture capital back when the ecosystem was still in its infancy. He talks about creating IMD’s VC Asset Management Program, which aims to give LPs a crash course in venture, teaching them both the appeal and the real difficulty of being a GP. It’s a fresh look at how education can bridge the knowledge gap between conservative allocators and the fast-moving world of startups.

Jim also shares what he’s learned running IMD’s startup competition and Swiss scale-up programs. He shares insights from his research into VC behavior, like why less experienced investors are often eager to lead rounds while mid-career ones take a backseat. He explains why experienced GPs tend to source proactively and why most avoid relying too much on HR assessments when evaluating founders.

Chapters:

01:38 Jim's Journey into Venture Capital
02:42 Creating the VC Asset Management Program
03:37 Challenges and Strategies in Educating LPs
07:24 Understanding Pension Fund Managers
16:40 The IMD Starter Competition
18:29 Swiss Startups and Silicon Valley
20:04 European vs. US Entrepreneurial Ambitions
22:50 Can You Teach Venture Capital?
25:38 Recognizing Entrepreneurial Potential
26:04 Swiss Scale-Up Program Overview
26:32 Challenges in Scaling Up
27:16 Leadership in Scaling Companies
28:05 Venture-Backed vs. Bootstrapped Startups
28:57 Founder-Led Companies and VC Opinions
31:41 VCs and Lead Investors
36:33 VC Experience and Investment Strategies
41:17 Evaluating Founders and Teams
46:18 Outbound Sourcing by Experienced VCs

EUVC | E439 | IMD’s Jim Pulcrano on Educating LPs and Demystifying the Venture Mindset

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